A House Divided
by Freefa11in
Summary: My first fanfic! Follows an eeveelution family that's going through some hard times. Nightlightshipping, and some Forestfireshipping later on. Please read and review!
1. Family Matters

(I do not own pokemon. The quoted lyrics are to the song Charlie Brown by Coldplay that I also do not own.)

_"Light a fire, a fire, a spark. Light a fire, a flame in my heart,"_

Daniel stepped carefully through the forest undergrowth. His stealthy paw steps made no sound against the leaf strewn soil. He paused and glanced upwards at a whole in the tree canopy to absorb the moon's rejuvenating light. Where the garish sun sapped his strength, the soft moonlight replenished tenfold. He felt his amber yellow rings begin to pulsate with its starry stimulus. Daniel was an Umbreon. The moonlight Pokémon. As soundless as ever, Daniel allowed his gaze to travel back to his leafy surroundings. His sharp, red tinged eyes took in every detail of the forest. He could see where several Kakuna were strung together in a nearby tree, where a family of Ratatta had made their den a short walk away, and notice every fresh dewdrop that fell from each blade of grass. He calmly inhaled the brisk night air and sighed. Without the overabundance of light, everything was so much sharper and clearer. He prowled across the ground, his hunt resumed; he had wasted enough moonlight.

Later that night, Daniel walked home at a more even pace, satisfied with his haul. It wasn't perfect, but it would do plus the leftovers from some of his past ventures. A whole bushel of oran berries bobbed up and down in his mouth with each of his steps, faster as Daniel steadily increased his pace. He was ready to be home. He stopped as the familiar scent of his mate drifted to him. She must have been out waiting for him. Daniel smiled through his mouthful of berry stems; Elsie was a welcome sight. He bounded forward with great leaps of joy. While he enjoyed the solitude of scavenging for food, it was always nice to come home to where he could be with his family. He slowed down as he spied her several hundred feet ahead, near the entrance to the clearing that they had made their den in. Daniel slowed down and walked the last stretch; Elsie wouldn't notice him until he was close enough to touch at night. Elsie was an Espeon, the sunlight Pokémon, and therefore was much more vulnerable in the dark, with her main energy source cut off from her. Daniel stopped and sat down a couple of feet from his mate. She still hadn't seen him, which brought down his spirits a tiny bit, but he couldn't blame her for not finding the same comfort in the night that he did. As carefully as he could, he laid his tail over her back to let her know he had come. She jumped in the air with a punctuated gasp, and spun into a crouched attack position. Daniel lifted up his paws to show that it was only him, and Elsie collapsed onto the ground, fur beginning to lie flat. "Daniel, I told you to stop sneaking up on me like that!" she chided playfully as he walked over next to her.

Daniel bent over and placed the oran berries on the ground before lying down beside her. "I really tried not to Elsie, it's just kind of difficult!" he laughed.

Elsie rolled her blue eyes and snuggled up against his sleek black body. Daniel took a moment to appreciate everything about his mate, from her smooth, pale pink pelt, to her dazzlingly bright ruby, that glowed with the same radiance as his amber rings at night. "So how was your hunt?" Elsie asked in a sleepy voice.

Daniel laid his long furred black tail on top of her short furred pink one. "It was alright; I found a bush of oran berries and caught some Ratatta. I let them get away though; they were young."

Elsie gave a small chuckle, "the fearsome hunter, letting his prey run away!" She rested her head on his shoulder and Daniel gave another smile. "Maybe one day someone we will be lucky enough for someone to repay the favor. I shudder to think what would happen to our kids if they met a bigger Pokémon out alone."

Elsie looked up sadly, "It's true though. Fern and maybe Adar would be alright, but Ellie, Benjamin, and Mist… It doesn't bear thinking about. Especially Mist."

Daniel kicked a chunk of dirt loose from the ground. "A sobering thought, but they'll be ok, because before they can defend themselves, we protect them."

Elsie only shut her eyes in response. After a few more minutes of enjoying each other's company, Elsie slowly stood up. "Come on, the kids are probably waiting for you to return now that I'm not there to keep them in bed!" She said with a smile.

Daniel followed suit and leaned down to grab the oran berries when Elsie nuzzled him into facing the clearing. "You go on, I'll get these." She told him sweetly.

Daniel shrugged, gave her a quick kiss, and bounded ahead. As he rounded into the forest clearing, he stopped. It was quiet. It shouldn't have been silent, with four Eevee's and a Leafeon in the nearby den. Something was amiss. Cautiously, Daniel crept to the entrance to the cave where his kids slept. There were two dens dug out of the earth in their clearing, one for him and Elsie, and one for his children. He stuck his head inside and called out, "Hello? Fern? Adar? Kids?"

From the back of the den, a small Eevee came bounding up. Daniel sighed in relief, the tenseness leaving his body. "Mist! Where on Johto is everybody?" He questioned affectionately. Mist rubbed up against the side of her father's face, which was almost the same size as she was. "Daddy! Your back!" She cried.

Daniel licked a rogue hair that was sticking up flat, and asked her again. Mist smiled and pointed behind him. Daniel froze as he heard a voice yell "Now!" and realized he was too late.

Three Eevee's began to pull on his legs, forcing him to the floor and onto his back. A smiling Leafeon placed her front paw on his chest and shook her head laughing. "We got you this time Dad!"

Daniel could only smile as Mist leapt up on top of him and waved her tail fluffy tail against his nose, causing him to sneeze. "That was a good one Fern, I'm impressed!" he laughed along with them.

As the adolescent Leafeon picked up Mist by the scruff of her neck and herded her younger siblings off Daniel allowing him back up, she smiled again. "It wasn't Fern's idea you big fur ball!" came a voice muffled by oran berries.

Daniel turned to see Elsie padding into the clearing. "I should've known! Only you could have been devious enough to devise this!" Daniel chuckled.

Fern set Mist down and began to scratch chocolate brown hairs off her tongue. "Oh, she may have come up with the general idea, but this evil genius stole the show!"

Mist giggled and launched herself at her sister's fore paws in a vain attempt to knock her down. "And she also shed a bunch of hair in my mouth the little Ekans!" She joked happily. Daniel cast a proud eye down at his beloved family. His beautiful mate Elsie, his shrewd eldest daughter Fern, his loyal son Adar, and his twin Eevee's Ellie and Benjamin, named after Elsie and his own father. Finally his eye turned to Mist, his small and inventive youngest child. She was the runt of the litter, but what she lacked in the physical area, she more than made up for in her spirit and resourcefulness. While Daniel may have only been a simple Umbreon, at that moment, he stood taller than a king.

"_We'll run wild, We'll be glowing in the dark."_


	2. Father and Daughter

(I do not own pokemon. The quoted lyrics are to the song Lean on Me, by Bill Withers that I also do not own.)

"_Lean on me, when you're not strong…"_

It was night. The full moon shone brighter and larger than any star in the open sky providing a faint, reflected light. Below the sky and stars was the clearing in the forest. The leaves rustled in the occasional warm summer's breeze, creating a silent music. In the clearing, two dens stood sentinel to their inhabitants; vigilant against the outside. It was nights like these that revealed the true peace and inner tranquility of the world. A calm current, amidst a chaotic ocean. Daniel stared unblinking at the moon. That same blissful entity that was present everywhere on earth. Yet millions of miles away. He had not gone hunting tonight as it was the full moon. On nights like these, it was better just to sit back and appreciate the energy that the moon's rays so generously gave. Daniel looked down as Elsie pulled herself closer against him, making a sleepy humming sound. It had been three years, 2 months, and 11 days since Daniel had first met the beautiful Espeon, and age had only improved upon what was already there. He felt the corners of his mouth rise at the memory and he snuggled up to her, placing the center of the amber ring on his forehead around her crowning ruby. This was one of his favorite things to do; to feel the rumbling psychic energy within her. Elsie slowly opened her blue eyes and smiled at him. "Good morning Elsie," he whispered. "Good night Daniel," she responded in turn.

They began to talk about various things; the day and the night, the seasons, and as always, talk turned to their children. "Mist was sick today," Elsie confided warily, "She slept all day and wouldn't eat anything. When I felt her temperature it seared my paw."

Daniel's ears perked at this. "What? Why didn't you tell me sooner? Did her fever go down at all?"

Elsie shook her head, brow knitted in anxiety, "No. Daniel, what are we going to do? She's so small even now… I'm afraid the sickness will prove to be too much."

Daniel sighed. Mist had always been small and sickly, but so energetic and full of life at the same time. Losing her would be like losing a bit of himself. "Don't worry Elsie. You need your sleep for tomorrow; I'll go check on her now. Everything will be better in the daylight."

This he was very doubtful of since all sunlight did was impair his senses, but Elsie clung on to that thought and began to drift back to sleep. It was very late for the sun Pokémon. Daniel slowly stood up and stepped carefully out of the den so as not to disturb the newly slumbering Elsie. Once outside, he paused a moment to absorb some of the night's energy before going through a quick stretch routine. After receiving a satisfying pop from his back, Daniel made his way to his children's den. Inside was a tangle of sleeping bodies. Ellie and Benjamin, the twins, slept alongside, chocolate brown furs mingling together as smooth as clear water. Fern's elegant leafy body curved around them in green crescent moon with Adar mirroring her on the other side. Mist was curled in the small nook between the backs of Fern and Adar's heads. While everyone else slumbered peacefully, Mist would reposition herself every couple seconds, her eyes shut tight. A pale sheen of glossy sweat ran across her like a second layer of velvet fur. Daniel cautiously bent down and gently nudged her awake. The wall of intensified body heat smashed into him before he had so much as touched her. This was bad. Mist looked up at him wearily, whole body drooping. Daniel shook his head sadly and lifted her up by the scruff of her neck. She was little heavier than a stick. The fatherly Umbreon carefully navigated to the exit of the den, trying not to send Mist swinging with each step. Outside, he gently placed her on the dewy grass. "Come on Mist, we're going to go for a walk." He told her, rubbing her cheek.

Mist could only muster up the energy to nod. Daniel slowly lifted the little Eevee onto his back and set out into the forest. What she needed was a cooling night breeze. Soon she had nuzzled down into the folds of his dark fur and fallen asleep. Daniel walked with great care, so as not to disrupt his sleeping warm little bundle. He enjoyed his night's walk, glad to be around Mist when she so desperately needed physical contact. Daniel spied a still pond ahead and turned toward it. A cold drink would be refreshing. As he stood at the water's edge he peered out to the edge of the pond. He had come from that direction so many nights ago with Elsie, away from the venerable shadow of Mt. Silver. It had taken the pink jewel to show him what he had been missing up in its stormy peaks. As he glanced back into the calm water, he smiled at his reflection. It was so perfect; his smooth black complexion with the young Eevee asleep on his back. This was an image to remember for a lifetime. He watched as a stray dew drop fell from an overhanging tree, arcing its path until it fell into the reflection Mist's watery forehead. Ripples pealed out, distorting the image and a sense of alarm filled Daniel. It was an omen, of that he was sure. But what did it mean? These thoughts troubled Daniel as he plodded back to the clearing. Did it show Mist's recovery? Or would she die out in the chaos of her sickness? At the middle of the clearing, Daniel turned to his own den. He wanted to keep Mist close tonight because some inner sense told him there might not be many more chances.

The moon set in the west and the sun rose in the east, and with it, rose each sleeping Pokémon in the clearing. Elsie sat upright, staring straight at the celestial fireball, absorbing its heat through the ruby on her head. Fern lay nearby, enjoying the nutrition the sun provided to her as a grass type. Mist was still with her father and Adar had gone exploring in the forest. Ellie and Benjamin were playing in the den, snatching hold of the opportunity to be alone in it with all their siblings otherwise occupied. Elsie turned her gaze from the illuminating sun with great effort and smiled. Whatever Daniel had done last night had helped; Mist's fever, while not gone, was much less severe. It wasn't perfect, but one could enjoy even small victories every once and awhile. She meandered casually to her den, where her mate and daughter's sleeping chests expanded in unison. The sound of it was almost entrancing. In, and out, and in, and out. If she didn't know better, she would have thought it was just one Pokémon. Not for the first time, she marveled at how similar Daniel and Mist seemed. Daniel who had roamed Mt. Silver to protect lost travelers and other creatures in need, and Mist who was always sneaking out of the clearing and into the forest in search of adventure. They even slept with the same posture; one front leg stretched forward with their head lying on it and the other one bent at an angle with back legs crossed. A spurt of bitterness ran across Elsie's thoughts. Mist had Daniel's spirit and posture, but where was she? Elsie glanced back at her mate and daughter and immediately felt her face go red with shame. How could she even have a thought like that? Mist was sick and all Daniel had ever done was care for her. The Espeon slowly sat down and observed the rise and fall of her mate's flank. She could trace the thin lines of old scars from his days on Mt. Silver. Over the years they had all but faded, but she could still spy the outlines. Elsie compared it to her own smooth pink side. Somehow it made her sad that no old wounds crisscrossed her pelt. He had never talked much about his past. Daniel always looked to the present and future and Elsie often wandered what he was running from. He had seemed happy enough when she had first met him as a young officer of the Mt. Silver Brigade. The Mt. Silver Brigade was a militant union of Pokémon that kept the peace on the mountain. Elsie had been passing across the mountain when she was unexpectedly caught in a landslide. The monstrous upheaval of gravel, dirt, and rock had swept her off the side and sent her crashing down to a ravine below. Her left back leg had been trapped under a compact of mud and rock. Daniel had been making his daily rounds when he had ran into her, and it had been love at first sight. After he had worked her leg loose and escorted her to a safe section of the foothills, she was a goner. And now all these years later Daniel still bared the payment for his services: Old scars and injuries. Elsie held out her paw and ran it down a particularly large scar ranging from the base of Daniel's ear to the bottom of his tail. While she tried her hardest to respect Daniel's wish to not speak of his past too much, Elsie had asked him about his biggest scar. His response still made her shiver. "There was a Tyranitar storming through the forest. Everyone was running and screaming, and total chaos ruled the night. But I was bound to defend the helpless inhabitants so I faced it down." He had told her.

A full grown Tyranitar was a force to be reckoned with. Challenging a calm one, let alone one on a rampage was suicide, and yet Daniel was still here. Elsie longed to know what had happened, but Daniel had stopped there. "The rest isn't important." He had said, thoughtful stare turning to the newly born Eevee that had been Fern.

Elsie had taken him at his word, but yet she longed to know how and why the private Umbreon had lived. Elsie stood up, shaking stray dirt from her fur. Daniel would sleep well into the day; most likely not getting up until the sun was already sinking and Mist would either sleep, or pretend to sleep to stay next to her father longer. She strode away, tail swinging back and forth humming a merry tune to herself. From the shady den, two small brown eyes turned to watch her go.

Just outside of the forest a large pack of Pokémon sat. The pack was of a variety of species, but all held the tall figure at the head in a clear unblinking stare. The pack's leader spoke to his subjects and in a rough voice that always seemed to border on a growl. "Now listen up you lot, we are here to visit with an old friend. You are all, save those of you I have chosen, to wait here. Do not move, do not gather food, and whatever you do, do not do anything so as to make anyone think we mean any sort of harm. Cause if he doesn't rip out your throat, you can bet next month's rations that _I_ will. Now, this select few and I are going to go in," at this point he gestured at the forest, "if I so much as catch a _whiff_ of insubordination whilst I am gone, there is not a legendary strong enough, or mountain high enough to keep you safe. If you have any questions, you can stow it because I'm not answering anything right now."

A moment of silence followed the figure's challenge to his pack, but no one rose to the bait. "Very good. Well, what are you looking at? Break!" With that the pack dispersed as each Pokémon chose a place to spend the night and the figure and several other silhouettes walked into the forest with swift, even strides.

"… _and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on."_


	3. Young Blood

(I do not own Pokémon. The quoted lyrics are to the song Wavin' Flag by K'naan that I also do not own.)

"_When I get older, I will be stronger…"_

The sun beat down as Adar stalked across the springy forest loam. He was a hunter, the mightiest hunter in the land with the stealth of a shadow to boot! His clever prey was hiding, of that Adar was sure, but nothing had ever challenged the master hunter before and lived to tell the tail. His keen eyes waved side to side, picking out every available detail that the abundant woods had to offer. He was sweeping his fearsome gaze to the left when he froze. There it was. His prey. Adar allowed himself a small, self-satisfied smile. He lashed his tail back and forth as he dropped low to the ground, haunches raised. A small growl began to grow in his throat. He had to strike before his quarry managed to slip through his paws again. With a fearsome caterwaul the brown Eevee launched through the air. His eyes were tight shut against the wind from the massive propulsion in his hind legs. Adar crashed against his prey and immediately set his teeth about its head as he kicked it with his back claws. After the moment began to die down, the mighty hunter shakily stood. With a somewhat regretful expression he stared down at the eviscerated pinecone that lay on the floor. He sighed. One day he would be a great and fearless hunter, but now he was simply abusing pieces of trees.

He recalled the lessons he had been receiving from his father on how best to sneak up on and apprehend prey. The friendly Umbreon had done his best to show his son the correct positions, and muscle groups, and styles of attack. Adar had tried and practiced and practiced and practiced, but he felt as if he got no better. During one of these training sessions, he had confided in his father his fears that he would never become any more skilled at anything than he was now. Daniel had only laughed, eyes squinted against the sun. "Adar," he had said, "These things will come to you. At your age, I could hardly catch a leaf. Don't be frustrated by lack of progress. One day, when you most need it, all of that progress will be there waiting for you."

Adar had taken these words to heart. Sometime in the future, he wanted to be just like his father; with a family and children to pass on his own experience to. But his secret hope, was to become an Umbreon. He had watched his father simply meld into the shadows at night and reappear meters away. Not even an Alakazam could have detected his movement. Adar knew that if he wanted to become an Umbreon he would have to spend time out during the night. He loved the night, he honestly did, but he felt no inner connectivity to the rising of the moon and setting of the sun. What was he going to be? Fern had already evolved and he was almost as old as she was when she had become a Leafeon. Fern's evolutionary path had come as no surprise to Adar. Fern was always paying special care to the forest and climbing trees and other related activities. In comparison, all Adar tried to do was become strong like his father.

Adar shook his head. There was no time to sit around wishing. Wishing didn't put food on the table, as Daniel liked to say. Out of nowhere, the sound of voices wafted to him. Adar felt himself lock in place, petrified. His parents had always told him to be cautious of strangers. Especially near your own home. The Eevee began to feel dizzy. What was he going to do? The voices would be near enough to detect him soon. He closed his eyes and conjured up an image of Daniel, standing tall against a starlit sky with a gigantic full moon behind him. The Umbreon looked straight at him, not even the slightest glimpse of fear or hesitation in his eyes. The hunter hopeful felt his frozen limbs melt. He could be brave too. He dropped noiselessly to the ground, exactly as Daniel had taught him. He prowled forward to a good vantage point in a large bush. Adar watched on as a small band of Pokémon traveled along a path in the forest en route to the clearing. It was a total of five in all. A Primeape and Houndour covered the rear with an Arcanine and Houndoom immediately in front. Spearheading the group was a pokemon that Adar was unfamiliar with. It was wolf like in shape with a dark gray complexion. A long strand of black fur ran the length of his back on the top and his claws were curved and wicked.

Each of the Pokémon had a red ankle band on one of the legs. Adar wandered if they were one of a few uncommon rescue teams that traveled the world that his dad had told him about in stories. He was drawn back to reality as the conversation began to heat up. "I don't see why we're here anyway. What's the big deal about a deserter who up and left to be with some slutty Espeon?" The Houndoom said with an irritated growl.

The Arcanine turned his noble head to his fellow companion and let out a gruff bark. "Because the Lieutenant wants to speak with him about something. And you better believe he has a good and relevant reason, seeing as he brought an entire pack with him, Turoc."

The Houndoom sniffed with disdain, "But I still don't see how -," He was cut off by the dark, wolf like leader. "You wouldn't see your own paw if it was in front of your face Turoc. Now stow it and show some respect."

The speaker turned and marched on, intent on the journey and nothing else. Turoc stopped and let the rest of his group march on ahead of him. The Houndoom rolled his eyes and began to vent his frustration into the air. "Stupid journey, cowardly Umbreon. Next we'll be watching the Magickarp drown in the lake."

Adar felt a burning hot anger began to churn deep within him when he realized it was his father that was being insulted. Whoever this motley bunch was, Adar didn't like him. The Houndoom named Turoc continued muttering insults that only degraded with each passing moment. Adar tried to remain calm, but the rage was building up like molten magma. "And to think, we're really expected to believe that he's somehow a hero? Smells like nothing but cowardice and lies to me."

This was the last straw for Adar. He knew Daniel was no coward and as far as his knowledge spanned, his father had never so much as dreamt of telling a fib. With a terrible roar, his anger exploded and volcanic eruption. Adar leaped out of the bush and slammed into the mysterious Houndoom's back, knocking the beast over in surprise. All Adar could see was the Houndoom and a faint tint of red. He began to bite and scratch at the stronger pokemon, trying to cool his fiery temper with vengeance. But his adversary had much more experience. Spinning over, the Houndoom beat Adar off with his skull capped head. The enraged Eevee was sent flying into the trunk of a nearby tree. Adar slid to the ground and attempted to stand back up. The world was spinning and he had banged his head pretty hard. His heart began to race in terror as he saw the giant Houndoom stalking up to him, murder in his eyes. "Dad! Dad, help!" Adar cried.

He watched the black beast stop for a second, head turning from side to side, seeing if the Eevee's father had heard its cry. When no one interfered, his monstrous head zeroed back in on Adar and its eyes narrowed with dark glee. Adar felt tears begin to burn his eyes. It was going to end like this. His dad had told one lie after all. When he needed it, the progress and skill wasn't there. He could only stare on hopelessly as the Houndoom opened its mouth to unleash the burst of deadly fire that would end it all. But just as he could see a small combustion begin in the Houndoom's throat, a whirlwind of fur and fire barreled into the dark type. The Arcanine from before, who had apparently lagged behind to check on his hotheaded companion, struck against his partner in a full on tackle. The magnificent beast now held the antagonistic Houndoom pinned to the ground, one massive paw on his neck. "Turoc!" The mighty fire pokemon thundered, "What the _bloody Hell_, do you think you're doing? This is a child. And what's more, an Eevee. An Eevee. Think yah stupid mongrel."

He threw the Houndoom aside like he was a mere rag doll. Without hesitating, he turned to the shaken Eevee and held out his paw in a friendly gesture. "Hello young one. I'm sorry for my companion's behavior. He still has much to learn. My name is Blaise, by the way."

Adar slowly placed his small brown paw in Blaise's orange gargantuan one. The seemingly benevolent Arcanine smiled and pulled him back up to his feet. "My name is Adar…" Adar managed to stutter.

Everything about the huge fire dog awed him: From his obviously massive strength, to his courage that appeared to match it pound for pound. An indignant huffing noise yanked Adar out of his thoughts. The Houndoom, Turoc, had dragged himself to his feet. "You're going to regret that Blaise. Mark my words."

Turoc turned tail and stomped after the rest of his party who had continued onwards, oblivious to the fight. Adar was struck by a touch of worry. Was this hostile Houndoom's threat real, or was it just empty words? He didn't want Blaise to get hurt for protecting him. The heroic Arcanine seemed to be able to read his feelings. "Oh don't worry about Turoc. He's all talk and no walk."

Adar shook his head in wonderment. Who were these people and where did they come from anyway? Adar opened his mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Blaise gestured for him to walk with him and Adar willingly followed. "So Adar, it must have taken some crazy courage to take on a Houndoom easily three times your size. What prompted you to do it?" He asked, one heavy eyebrow raised.

Adar hung his head when he thought of his rash actions. His anger had gotten the better of him. "He, he was insulting my father."

The mighty Arcanine froze in place, eyes widening. "Your father, is Daniel?" He exclaimed incredulously.

Adar slowly nodded. Blaise shook his head forlornly. "That is not going to go over well. Turoc's really done it this time. You see, we were actually going to visit your father. Him and the Lieutenant used to be old friends."

Adar smiled mischievously. "Well, how about I show you a shortcut to our clearing? Your companions won't get there for a good thirty minutes with the route they're taking."

Blaise let out a swift roar of laughter that sent a small heat wave through the immediate area. "That'll show old Turoc! Come on little one, just point the way!"

"Alright then," Adar replied, "But you'll have to catch me!"

And the two set off through the forest. Small brown Eevee and massive orange and black Arcanine.

"…_They'll call me freedom, just like, a wavin' flag."_


	4. Broken Expectations

**Hey! This is just a note to anyone who had the perseverance and drive to read up to this point without falling asleep out of boredom or something :P I promise that the story, (and my own skills as a writer) will progress and get better soon! There are big things in store heading to our a little clan of eeveelutions, so if you can find the intense inner strength it most likely takes to sit through this stretched out yarn, take heart that things will pick up soon!**

"_Decisions to decisions are made and not bought, But I thought…"_

The noonday sun baked the land below with visible heat that peeled through the air in tangible waves. It was going to be a scorcher today. A medium sized Umbreon shook his head as he lowered it to the floor. He felt pinned inside the shadowy den by the juggernaut of light that marched off the sun. Every night had its dawn. And that was a fact that always haunted him. He lay in his usual semi-curled up sleeping position with his daughter in his crest. He smiled at the cool, gravelly texture of the dirt floor that pushed up against his chin. The only gift the sun gave was shade. Daniel yawned and lazily picked his head up. Now that he was awake, he might as well go have a look around and make sure all was well in the world. Daniel smiled as Mist fell under his sweeping gaze. She was mimicking his typical sleeping position. That was good. A little of her spirit was coming back now that her sickness wasn't as terrible. Daniel shrewdly noted that she was breathing perfectly synchronized with his rhythmic breathes. Perhaps she was already awake. The Umbreon couldn't help but smirk; over the years he had built an image of himself to his children that he could always tell when they were actually asleep or not. Being so young, they still believed it. But the trick was the breathing. If the breathing was regular, the said Pokémon was asleep. Daniel closed his mouth and held his breath. Slowly the little Eevee's inhales and exhales fell more and more into discord. "Alright Mist, get on up!" He laughed, pressing on her shoulder.

The brown kit stood shakily. "You always know," she giggled.

"And I always will you little trickster!" he joked affectionately, dabbing at her small nose with the tip of his tail.

Mist dropped to the floor and rolled onto her back, paws batting at Daniel's tail as he lashed it through the air. Daniel winced as the small Eevee caught it with her forepaws and proceeded to sink her teeth into it. "Oohf! Let's be careful now Mist!"

Daniel slid his tail out of her mouth, frowning when he felt the fever heat still emanating from Mist. The disease may be down, but by no means was it out. "I'll be back little one," Daniel told Mist as he turned to leave the den, "Wait here, I'm going to find your mother."

Mist nodded and hunkered back down between the floor and back wall. Daniel screwed his eyes shut as he stepped out, eyelids screwed shut against the harsh sunlight. His eyes burned red despite his heavy black eyelid shields. He opened his eyes, and then shut them and waited for the afterimage to fade away. Each time he repeated this action, his vision became a little clearer. The dark Pokémon walked off across the clearing in search of Elsie. Suddenly, a part of a nearby bush seemed to separate itself from the green plant. Daniel waved his tail lazily in greeting as he recognized the leafy frame of Fern, the Leafeon. The plantlike eeveelution opened her mouth and called out jovially, "Hey Dad! Have you seen Adar lately? I'm playing hide and go seek with the twins and I'm thoroughly stumped!"

Daniel could hear two small Eevee's giggling behind a nearby tree and realized that kind Fern was simply putting on a show for them. "I have no idea where he is Fern! Those two little rascals have sure pulled one over on you!"

Fern shook her head as the clearly audible sound of her younger siblings laughing floating across the clearing on the summer breeze. "Shhh! I think I might hear them!" Fern exclaimed about ten percent louder than necessary.

The Leafeon quickly turned around and searched the wrong section of the woods while she hummed noisely. Daniel smiled as he caught Benjamin and Ellie's eye from behind their cover. They performed frantic hand motions, first pointing at Fern, and then at the forest, all the while trying not to burst out laughing. Daniel made a big show of nodding and then winking before walking over to his eldest daughter. The Umbreon wasn't a professional, but he could act with the best of them. "I think the noise came from out here, Fern." Daniel advised, guiding her in the indicated direction with his tail.

"Oh they're in for it now!" Fern said, winking at her father.

She ran into the woods with what appeared to be fierce determination. As soon as she was out of sight, the twin Eevees fell onto the ground, banging there little brown paws against the earth in laughter. "You two better find a new hiding place before she comes back!" Daniel recommended to the hysterical Pokémon.

Ellie immediately shot off like lightning to the edge of her parents den and turned to face Daniel, eyebrow raised questioningly. Her father nodded his consent and Benjamin hopped up and dashed after Ellie, who was already inside the den. "Just try not to disturb Mist too much!" The Umbreon called after them.

Daniel sniffed the air. Elsie must have gone off to enjoy the strength of the sun in private for a short amount of time. Being the sun Pokémon, this must have been perfect weather conditions for her. He hadn't seen Adar yet, but more likely than not, he was off practicing his hunting and fighting skills. Or playing at them. Daniel conjured up a mental image of their last training session in his mind. Adar had voiced his worry that he would never become stronger and remain the inexperienced Eevee he was now. Daniel smiled. Everyone had this worry at one point or another. What if I'm not good enough? What if I'm never able to do that? The progress and skill was something that was never achieved overnight. The experience had to come first. One day, Adar would go on his own adventures and learn firsthand. He drifted deeper and deeper into his thoughts. He was done with his own adventures and for lack of a better word, experiences. There were regrets in his past, but leaving the Mt. Silver Brigade was not one of them.

"AHHHHHH!"

A piercing scream split the air like the cut of a Gallade. Daniel's reverie was broken on the spot. That was Fern. A snarl building in his throat, the Umbreon crouched low to the ground and leaped into a full out sprint in the direction of the outburst. Daniel could just make out the outline of Fern's leafy body through the think trees ahead. He narrowed his red eyes and launched himself through the air using his powerful hind paws. The Umbreon landed gracefully in a small clearing between Fern and an incredibly large Arcanine. Daniel fell into his standard battle stance and bared his teeth at the intruder. The Arcanine showed no sign of aggression and backed up, tail dragging across the bare earth. "Dad, Wait!" A familiar voice yelled.

Daniel felt the furs on his back begin to lie flat as an adolescent Eevee leaped in between him and the mysterious fire Pokémon. "He's a friend and he saved my life." Adar said.

Daniel stood up glancing at the orange dog in mistrust as it cautiously made its way back into the clearing. "Then what made you scream?" He asked, turning to Fern.

"It was just shock dad," Adar explained for his stricken sister, "she was just walking low to the ground and looked up just as Blaise was walking by. But really, he's good Dad, he saved my life."

Daniel calmed down and turned to Fern who nodded in agreement. "Well then Mr. Blaise, I guess I owe you an apology, and my sincerest thanks if this is all true!" He told the Arcanine, warmly.

Blaise lowered his head and accepted the Umbreon's apology. "It was nothing. I'm pleased to meet you after hearing so much!"

Daniel backed up turning his head in confusion. Then he seemed to deflate as he caught sight of the red ankle band on the Arcanine's massive right foreleg. "Yes, I imagine there will be much to talk about. Would you please come back to my home with me and explain just how a member of the Mt. Silver Brigade found my son in a forest leagues from the mountain."

Blaise carefully sat down in the middle of the clearing where his new Eevee friend lived. The curious eyes of three other Eevees stared at him from one den, which Blaise found very difficult to ignore. His first contact with Daniel had not exactly gone the way he had always imagined it to. He could barely make out the herb-strewn pelt of the Leafeon he had nearly tripped over just minutes ago at the far end of the clearing, observing him from a distance. Blaise had been raised on the stories of the Umbreon's heroics. He was always taller whenever the Arcanine had imagined him. But that wasn't what bothered Blaise. Size was only a minor contributing factor. There was a Weaville back at their camp that while small in stature, could shred an Onix. What bothered Blaise, was the Umbreon's apparent lack of enthusiasm for seeing someone from his old brigade. In his mind, Daniel had always been a raring and ready for anything explorer who would sooner be sleeping on the mountainside than in his bunk at the brigade camp. But the Umbreon Blaise had met had visibly drooped when he registered that Blaise was a member of the Mt. Silver Brigade. The Lieutenant had made it clear that Daniel had left the rescue guild because he wanted to be with a supposedly angelic Espeon and to raise a family. Did the Umbreon see this as an intrusion? He had seemed welcoming enough once he had learned that Blaise was friendly. Adar had only reinforced his mental image of the adventuresome Umbreon. The little beast had taken on a fully grown, albeit whiney, Houndoom with only minimal experience. Bravery passed on from father to son. That was the spirit and vigor the name Daniel the Demon inspired. Blaise looked up as he heard Adar coming closer now. His father had taken him to the side for him to explain what had happened first. If Adar was approaching him, that meant the Umbreon was done with his interrogation. "Hey Blaise!" The Eevee greeted happily.

"Hello Adar," Blaise smiled back; at least this little Eevee had the courage to speak to him.

Blaise spied Daniel heading in his direction and braced himself. His actions now would represent the Mt. Silver Brigade. To the Arcanine's relief, Daniel smiled warmly as he made his way over. "Sounds like I **do** owe you my sincerest gratitude Mr. Blaise!" The Umbreon said to break the ice.

Blaise felt some of the tension leave his body. Not a bad start after all. "Really it was nothing Sir, Turoc was just being an imbecile. And please, just call me Blaise!"

Daniel frowned. "I'll have a talk with him when your squad reaches my territory. And Blaise, you can just call me Daniel."

Blaise was momentarily nonplussed. He had practically grown up in the Mt. Silver Brigade. The one thing they had always held to, was proper titles. Why was Daniel so different? The way the Lieutenant spoke about him, Daniel would have torn his arms off with his teeth if he so much as forgot to address him properly once. "Alright… Daniel… I guess you want to know what we're doing here."

The Umbreon nodded amicably. "It would be most kind for you to tell me."

The Arcanine shrugged and explained how his Lieutenant had taken a pack of Pokémon from the brigade camp to a forest for a reason he hadn't shared with anyone. He had only said to his advance group that he took into the forest that they were coming to visit his old friend Daniel the Umbreon. Daniel the Umbreon considered this for a moment before asking, "Is there no way for them to perhaps turn around and leave before they find us?"

Blaise shook his head. "He brought an entire pack. He would look like a fool."

Daniel hung his head and kicked at a loose piece of dirt. "All the better I guess," He mused, "it was going to happen eventually anyway. And this Turoc character sounds like he really needs to be taught a lesson."

Daniel's gaze fell to Adar who was listening in on the conversation intently. Blaise gulped. If the stories were to be believed, Turoc was in a world of trouble.

"…_This wouldn't hurt a lot. I guess not."_

**I do not own Pokémon. The quoted lyrics are to the song Kids by MGMT that I also do not own**


End file.
